


We're Allowed to Be Loud and Proud

by NoSleepUntilVacation, NSUVAfterDark (NoSleepUntilVacation)



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Adorable Papyrus (Undertale), Alternate Universe, Cinnamon Roll Papyrus (Undertale), Eventual Smut, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, Fluffyfest, I can't believe that's a real tag, In some chapters, M/M, Mettaton is adorable too, No Angst, Oh God Yes, One Shot Collection, Papyrus loves him anyway though, Plotbunnies, Romantic Fluff, and that no one's used it for a Mettaton fic yet, but he's also a real twerp sometimes, but no one's gonna die in this so don't worry, is it flufftober? is it kinktober?, it's definitely somethingtober!, ratings vary for each chapter, smut chapters will be marked accordingly, until now, well there may be some mild stuff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-11-08
Packaged: 2020-10-28 15:38:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20780981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoSleepUntilVacation/pseuds/NoSleepUntilVacation, https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoSleepUntilVacation/pseuds/NSUVAfterDark
Summary: Various scenes written around the general theme of Mettaton and Papyrus being in love with each other. Featuring a healthy dose of post-pacifist stuff, a few AUs here and there, and some dashes of smut, all thrown into a vat of fluff and stirred chaotically until it smells like sparkly spaghetti. Have fun, Papyton fans! (And anyone else who wants to read this!)





	1. Those Electric Sheep!

**Author's Note:**

> Behold, another WIP from Spiny NoSleepUntilVacation, who never finishes what she sta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Do ghosts dream of spectral lambs? And what do ghost androids dream of?

_Mettaton wheeled across the neon-decorated stage as the audience and contestants clapped and cheered, before striking a pose._

_"All right, beauties and gentlebeauties! It's time to grab your umbrellas and batten down the hatches, because it's time for our lightning round!" He punctuated this by displaying a lightning bolt on his screen._

_"Ooh..." said the audience._

As the on-screen Mettaton began to explain the rules of the round, Papyrus leaned back on the couch. He'd watched enough episodes of this show to know the rules by heart, but listening to Mettaton explain them never got old for him, particularly because Mettaton never explained them in exactly the same way twice. Sometimes he would just shift the wording around a little, while other times, he would do something as wild as recite the rules in rhyme, perform an interpretive dance and/or light show to illustrate his explanation, or even turn the whole thing into a brief musical number. This time around, he delivered the rules in the style of a weatherperson delivering their daily report.

Papyrus always had fun watching Mettaton's older shows; even if they occasionally came off as awkward due to being made while Mettaton was still finding his voice as a performer, they still served as neat little time capsules into the past. And unlike other time capsules, these ones could be opened at any time; while Mettaton was eager to leave some parts of his past behind, his old shows did not fall into that category.

Glancing down towards his lap, Papyrus smiled at the sight before him. The very same man who hosted the game show with every drop of enthusiasm and charisma he could muster currently lay on the couch, his head pillowed on Papyrus' lap; he looked completely different, both in appearance and in demeanor. Whereas the on-screen Mettaton took the form of a sexy rectangle who was ready to sparkle and shine on stage, the off-screen Mettaton - who had since started using his humanoid EX form much more frequently, including right now - looked perfectly content to call it a night.

Indeed, "content" would have been the best word to describe the look on his face; with his eyes tightly closed, his lips turned up in a gentle smile, and his systems whirring more quietly than usual, he was by all indications in the midst of a nice nap. Having spent the better part of the day running all sorts of errands related to promoting his newest movie, he'd had no problems whatsoever with taking the rest of the evening off and spending it with the skeleton he loved. He'd changed out of his signature armor into a simple pair of shorts and a T-shirt, with his long, lovely legs wrapped in one of his favorite pairs of socks - black thigh-highs with pink hearts.

Everything about this felt almost surreal, the more Papyrus thought about it. Whenever Mettaton performed - whether acting, singing, or hosting a show - he seemed so powerful and otherworldly. It was so easy to forget that celebrities like him still needed to eat and sleep and practice other forms of self-care; all those things almost seemed relegated to ordinary people only. And yet, here was Mettaton, letting his guard down and allowing Papyrus to see him as just another monster, instead of only being the star of the Underground. Mettaton had to have known how much of a risk this was; celebrities were supposed to be perfect in every way, and many fans would be quick to drop an icon like a hot potato over anything that would challenge this image, even something as small as a difference in political opinions.

But for Papyrus, finding out that Mettaton had made mistakes had done nothing to change his love for him. Of course, this did not mean that he approved of Mettaton's past misdeeds, but the fact that Mettaton himself was ashamed of what he'd previously done and wanted to change his ways was more than enough reason for Papyrus not to hold any of it against him. Making mistakes was a part of life, after all, and people could learn and grow over time. Papyrus always wanted to be there for his loved ones and help them on their journeys to becoming greater than ever, and Mettaton was no exception.

As the show went to commercial break, Papyrus let his fingertips idly run through Mettaton's hair, before eventually leaning down.

"You're so special to me," he whispered.

Mettaton muttered something in his sleep, and while Papyrus couldn't pick out any specific words, he certainly noticed when Mettaton shuffled the tiniest bit closer, not losing the smile on his face.

When the next commercial to come on referred to Mettaton as a killer robot, Papyrus giggled to himself. "Nyeh heh heh..." Mettaton loved playing up the killer robot aesthetic on his shows, but he also happened to be the cuddliest killer robot Papyrus had the pleasure of knowing (not that there was much competition for that title). Back in his days of incorporeality, Mettaton could only dream of being touched, so it was no surprise that being cuddled was like heaven on earth to him.

(And Papyrus certainly didn't mind, since he himself was a very cuddly skeleton - warm and soft and full of calcium.)

Many years ago, when Mettaton filmed this episode of his show, and when Papyrus saw it for the first time not long after, neither of them would have imagined watching the episode in this context.

And yet, as they lay there on the couch that late evening, bathed in the glow of the TV set and the star shining on it, with their hearts full of love and security, neither of them minded at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to my Papyton project for the month of October 2019. I don't know if I'm going to do thirty-one chapters for this one, but I do have quite a few stories to tell, so stay tuned.


	2. A Thousand Light Years Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Gaming with a Killer Robot and a Sweet Skeleton. Today's game is a cute science-fiction adventure that sneaks up on you with feels.

When Mettaton took Frisk's suggestion for which game to play next on his recurring livestream, _Gaming with a Killer Robot_, he wasn't prepared for how much this specific game would touch his heart.

On the surface, the game in question appeared to be just a colorful, quirky little adventure in a mysterious world. The protagonist would go around and interact with all sorts of cute slime creatures, keeping some of them on a farm and making money; Mettaton knew he would like this game as soon as he saw that the first slime creatures encountered in the game were his favorite color. Even though these pink creatures didn't produce a lot of money, he still had a soft spot for them.

Mettaton didn't play this game alone, though. His livestreams would often include at least one other person from his circle of friends as a special guest; this time was no exception, as Papyrus was by his side throughout the playthrough. Having played this game with Frisk before, Papyrus knew quite a few tips and tricks, and whenever Mettaton asked him for advice, he cheerfully gave it to him.

Their little playthrough went on for quite some time, with Mettaton laughing at a lot of the game's silly moments, while occasionally tensing up whenever he encountered a ravenous destroyer creature (and also during exploration of a certain late-game area)...

...and much to Mettaton's surprise, the game even made him want to cry at one point.

One of the game's supporting characters just so happened to be a musician, and would send letters to the protagonist from time to time. At first, Mettaton found himself laughing when he read some of the stories in the letters (particularly the one about the tour van). Over time, though, the letters took on a more sentimental tone, as the musician talked about missing the protagonist.

Deep in his heart, Mettaton found it easy to relate. He too was a performer at heart; it had been his dream for as long as he could remember, and singing songs of his own creation in front of roaring crowds felt like nothing else. That said, touring had one major drawback: it meant he had to be away from most of his loved ones. Napstablook and Shyren could come with him due to being in his band, but everyone else had to stay home and continue living their own lives. And while Mettaton had several ways to cope with being away from them, there would still be days where he missed them so much that it hurt.

This especially rang true after he and Papyrus became a couple. Mettaton had once referred to the sun as the greatest spotlight of all - and Papyrus felt like his own personal ray of sunshine. Papyrus definitely had a way of cheering Mettaton up whenever he needed it, whether through giving him a big hug, saying encouraging things, or even just listening whenever Mettaton needed to get something off his chest. Even when they couldn't be together in person, the two would still swap stories over the phone and through social media.

And yet, all the phone calls in the world would never be able to replace quality time spent together in person. Just feeling Papyrus' fingers running through his hair, or Papyrus' arms around him, or even just Papyrus' hand on top of his own... it could make any moment that much more special. Sure, the paychecks Mettaton received from these tours definitely helped with their lives, but sometimes, it just hurt to be on the opposite side of the world from some of the most important people in his life.

(To this day, Mettaton still wasn't sure how, in the underground days, he'd managed to convince himself that he wouldn't need anyone at all; nowadays, the thought of not having a confidant just horrified him.)

Eventually, in the game, the character sent one final email; not long after Mettaton read it, the credits began to roll. A gentle acoustic ballad played over scenes of space, stars, and slimes, and as Mettaton listened to the lyrics, he fought back tears with all of his might. As much as his friends frequently assured him otherwise, he often did feel like he was leaving them behind whenever he left for a tour or some other career-related trip. He'd always try to make it up to them as best as he could, from giving them souvenirs from the places he visited, to spending time with each of them when he returned. Even so, guilt would still well up in his heart whenever business commitments caused him to miss a birthday, a holiday, or any other special occasion; he'd always do his best to get things scheduled in such a way that it wouldn't happen, but sometimes it was just unavoidable.

As he tried to distract himself by looking at the cute images of slimes in space, he felt Papyrus' arm slip around his shoulders, his teeth gently nuzzling him. Although Papyrus remained silent, Mettaton easily figured out Papyrus' intended message.

_Even if you're really far away, we'll always support you, because you're our friend._

Mettaton found himself lost in thought once more as he pondered things. No matter where he performed in the world, it was all under the same sky; while the constellations weren't always the same, the world still shared the same sun and moon. His friends and family lived under this sun and moon as well, whether they could come with him or not. Whenever Mettaton woke up to the morning sun in his hotel room, he could just imagine the same sun shining down on Papyrus as he did some puzzles in the backyard after a long afternoon of yard work... or maybe shining its light on the moon as Papyrus slept, dreaming of his special star.

As the song drew to a close, Mettaton gently smiled and gave Papyrus a hug of his own. Even if distance separated them sometimes - whether as small as being in the next town or as large as being on another continent entirely - they would still love each other. In fact, Mettaton was sure that, even if they were on two different planets, their love for each other wouldn't change. Papyrus would always be his sugar skull, and he would always be Papyrus' beautiful, shimmering starlight.

And they would always share the same sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're playing Slime Rancher (if you haven't played that game, I highly recommend it, especially if you like your games to be really cute and silly); the song that has Mettaton so emotional is the end credits theme (the namesake for this chapter). Prepare for a feels trip if you choose to look the song up.


	3. Stop Raining on My Parade!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mettaton just wants to go to the beach with Papyrus. Is that too much to ask?
> 
> According to the weather forecast, yes.

Black clouds blanketed the sky, sending a thick curtain of raindrops down to slam against the pavement. Anyone without access to a clock could have been forgiven for thinking that the evening had already fallen; those with clocks knew that it was still the early afternoon, though.

As Mettaton sat in front of the window and watched the rain fall, though, he didn't care what time of day it was. With his folded arms, a sneer on his lips, and a glare in his eyes, he almost seemed to be demanding the clouds to disappear.

Papyrus walked into the room. Upon seeing Mettaton still upset - Papyrus hadn't seen him smile once since he'd arrived home from a couple of interviews earlier that day (by which point the rain had already started) - he walked over to him and gently set a hand on his shoulder. "I'm really sorry, Metta..."

A long, robotic sigh escaped Mettaton's mouth. "This sucks, darling." His hand clenched the seat of the chair. "We've been working so hard these past couple of weeks, barely able to spend time together - and then, when we finally have a day where neither of us has anything to do, it starts raining!"

With a frown, Papyrus leaned down and gave him a gentle nuzzle. "We can still go to the beach some other day."

"When, though? I have so many errands to run tomorrow, and then your work week starts the day after that..." Mettaton sighed again. For the past several days, dreams of the seaside had run through his head. Listening to the waves, walking on the delightfully-warm sand, building beautiful sand sculptures, and finally ending the day with a delicious fruity drink as he and Papyrus rested in each other's arms and watched the sunset.

Too bad the weather decided to wash his dreams away.

Mettaton crossed his legs. "Nobody told _me_ the rain was going to be this horrible! I should sue all the local weather reporters!"

A perplexed look came over Papyrus. "Uh... but aren't you one of the local weather reporters?"

"Oh yes, darling. I'm absolutely going to sue myself." For a brief moment, Mettaton started snickering, forgetting to be angry. "And it'll be the most fabulous court case you've ever seen."

He could already see it in his mind's eye.

_Judge Mettaton set down his notes and stared down the defendant. "Mettaton, sweetheart, you have been charged with inaccurately reporting the weather and ruining the plaintiff's plans for his day off. How do you plead?"_

_With a smirk, Defendant Mettaton posed. "Glamorously guilty, your honor!"_

_"Objection!" Defense Attorney Mettaton stood up. "Your honor, my client had no way of knowing the weather was going to be this bad."_

_"Hold it!"_

_Everyone paused as Prosecutor Mettaton stood up, pointing at his opponents across the room. "As a weatherman, he undoubtedly was supposed to have access to all sorts of reports from local meteorologists!"_

_Defense Attorney Mettaton pulled out his notes. "That is true. However, records have shown that this time around, my client received the reports from a different team of meteorologists than usual, and they neglected to word the information clearly enough to avoid misunderstandings."_

_"Well, gorgeous, the responsibility for understanding and interpreting the data does not fall onto the meteorologists alone--!"_

_As the defense and the prosecution began arguing more fervently - to the point where they seemed ready to throw boots at each other's heads any minute now - Judge Mettaton rolled his eyes and banged his gavel a few times._

_"Order in the court!"_

_Not one to resist the opportunity for a classic joke, Plaintiff Mettaton raised his hand. "Ooh! May I please have a steak in the shape of my face, medium rare?"_

_"And can I have a glamburger with extra cheese, please?" Witness Mettaton asked._

_Bailiff Mettaton grinned. "Of course, darlings. After the trial, I'll pay for everyone's lunch."_

_"Thank you!"_

_With a nod, Judge Mettaton looked out over the courtroom. "While I'm sure the attorneys are quite spirited about their discussion, the decision ultimately falls to the jury." He turned his attention to them. "Well, my beauties?"_

_Each of the Mettaton jurors wrote something down on a piece of paper, and the bailiff came by to collect all the slips and hand them to the judge. The courtroom sat in absolute silence as the judge read over each slip of paper; when he set them back down on the bench, a hundred souls beat within a hundred casings._

_"Beauties and gentlebeauties, it looks like we have a verdict." He looked towards the defense. "I hereby declare the defendant..."_

_As per the rules of drama, he paused for dramatic effect before making his proclamation._

_"...glamorous!"_

_The plaintiff, defendant, and lawyers all gave him a curious eye. "Oh???"_

_He nodded. "And I also declare that the plaintiff is glamorous! And so are the attorneys on both sides, the witnesses, the bailiff, the jury, everyone watching this case - and, of course, the judge himself! Court is officially adjourned!"_

_The judge banged his gavel, confetti cannons went off, and everyone in the room let out a triumphant "Ohhh yesss!!!"_

Back in the real world, Mettaton chuckled to himself. If nothing else, this fantasy of his would make a great skit on one of his shows.

He felt a strong, bony arm drape around his shoulders. "We can still have fun together, Metta. I know it won't be the same as what you had planned, but at least it'll be something - and something is better than nothing."

"I know, darling." Mettaton sighed wistfully. "I was just really looking forward to going to the beach today. I had this gorgeous outfit picked out and everything!"

Papyrus thought for a moment. He'd meant to make lunch soon - they had some leftover pasta from last night's dinner, and still enough bread to make some garlic toast to go with it. And with the fruit juice in the fridge...

"Hmm..."

Mettaton raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"May I please see that outfit? I'm sure you'd look absolutely beautiful in it." Papyrus took his hand and grinned. "Knowing your impeccably cool sense of fashion, it probably makes your legs look as lovely as ever!"

At first, Mettaton had to take a moment to think. On one hand, this wasn't the context he had been hoping for with regards to wearing that outfit. On the other hand, what harm was there in just wearing it around the house today? He could always wash it later if needed - and, if no one else, Papyrus would still get to see the little ensemble he'd arranged.

Besides, Papyrus did have a point - the outfit in question would indeed complement his legs quite well.

"You know what, sugar skull?" Mettaton stood up and smiled. "You've convinced me. I'll be right back."

"Great! I, Papyrus, will get lunch started!"

Mettaton chuckled as he watched Papyrus run off towards the kitchen; before long, he headed upstairs.

* * *

As he combed his hair, Mettaton grinned at the outfit he had chosen for himself. Of course, the most important part was his swimsuit - a pair of black shorts with a pink stripe running down each side. Pink sandals would protect his feet for as long as necessary (or in this case, until he wanted to take them off), and a black button-down shirt (left completely unbuttoned, of course) further enhanced the look.

Once his hair was as perfect as it could get, he checked himself in the mirror from every angle - not just out of force of habit, but also out of wanting to look good for Papyrus. Sure, Papyrus didn't need to be impressed at this point, having seen an unpolished Mettaton several times before, but Mettaton still wanted to make an effort. Fortunately, he saw no problems; with that settled, he slipped on the last two pieces of his outfit - a pair of sunglasses and a cute wide-brimmed hat - and made his way back downstairs. He could already smell the savory aromas of lunch as he descended the stairway.

When he made it into the living room, though, the sight that greeted him made him tilt his head a bit. A blanket lay on the floor in an open portion of the room, as if for a picnic; Papyrus sat cross-legged on this blanket and waved at Mettaton. He had the food nearby in a picnic basket, as opposed to in the kitchen or dining room like Mettaton expected.

"Oh...?" Mettaton walked up to the little display. "And what exactly is this, beautiful?"

Papyrus grinned, eagerly patting an adjacent spot on the blanket. "When we were watching the rain, I, the Great Papyrus, had a brilliant idea! Even if we can't go to the beach today, I thought we could bring the beach to us instead!" He laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his skull. "I know there's no sand or ocean, but I couldn't think of a way to replicate that on such short notice - or without causing a huge mess. But we can still have an indoor picnic and pretend like we're at the beach! We can talk about fun things, and I found this cool playlist of summer songs, and..."

He trailed off as Mettaton took a seat next to him; his pulse pounded in his ribcage. Would Mettaton like this idea, or would he think it too childish, or as just a reminder of what they couldn't do today? Even if Mettaton didn't hold it against him, Papyrus still hated the thought of making him feel worse from something that was supposed to cheer him up.

Therefore, when Mettaton's first instinct after sitting down was to pull Papyrus into a big hug, Papyrus felt his worries evaporate just like that.

"Nyeh...?"

Mettaton smiled and placed a soft kiss on Papyrus' skull. "You, my darling, are a genius."

"Wowie!" A laugh spilled from Papyrus' mouth, the last of his tension going with it. He soon noticed the familiar smoothness of Mettaton's hand in his own.

"The more I thought about it, the more I realized you were right. Just because the day didn't go as I had planned doesn't mean we can't find a way to still enjoy it together." And truthfully, although he'd looked forward to going to the beach, what he'd really anticipated was spending a nice day with Papyrus; even though he could theoretically go to the beach alone later in the week, it just wouldn't have been the same in his eyes, nor would it be fair to Papyrus (even if he did love his job).

Papyrus nuzzled Mettaton's face, being careful not to knock the hat off of his head. "I remembered what they say about dark clouds and silver linings, so I thought we could have fun together. I'm really glad you like it!" He leaned back. "And that outfit is really beautiful, by the way."

Mettaton felt a glow in his heart as he watched Papyrus grab his phone and get the music ready.

Within the next few minutes, some upbeat, breezy music filled the room as the couple started in on their lunch. They ate savory pasta with some crispy garlic toast on the side, washing it down with sweet fruit juice. Papyrus had even brought some cookies from the pantry, for them to share after finishing the rest of the food. All the while, they talked about random little things, from funny pictures their friends shared on social media to cool things they wanted to do.

Once all that remained of the food was a set of empty plates and containers, Papyrus briefly headed to the kitchen to take care of them accordingly. By the time he returned, the playlist had started one of its quieter songs; as such, the next order of business was a lot of cuddling. The two lay down and held each other close, whispering sweet things every now and then.

When Mettaton closed his eyes, he could just hear the waves and feel the sand beneath the soft blanket. After all that work over the past couple of weeks, he and Papyrus finally had the chance to just take a deep breath and enjoy each other's company. At first, Mettaton had trouble finding the sunshine behind the dark clouds, but over the past hour, he realized that the sunshine never actually left; it just manifested itself in a different form, with the help of a vessel named Papyrus.

And as he soon discovered, the sunshine had taken shelter in his heart as well.

Over the course of several songs, Papyrus rested in Mettaton's arms, enjoying the quiet moment with him. Every now and then, he'd softly hum to the music or gently tap the beat against his own kneecap. Although he liked fixing cars and helping people, he wouldn't deny that it made him exhausted sometimes, and often some quality time with someone close would be just what he needed.

They cuddled for a little while until a particularly upbeat song began to play; Mettaton began to bob his head to the music, and before the first verse even started, he'd already stood up.

"Forgive me, sweetheart, but this song is just too catchy. You can join me at any time if you want to, though!"

He all but pirouetted off the blanket before spinning slightly and breaking out some dance moves. With a laugh in his throat and a sparkle in his eyes, he channeled his inner performer (not hard to do for a man like him) as the first verse started. If one of the couple's friends suddenly came over to visit and walked in on this, they never would have been able to guess that Mettaton had been sulking not more than an hour or two ago.

The sight of his special star shining again in spite of the setbacks warmed Papyrus' heart, and - combined with the music - made him bounce up and down in excitement...

...until the first chorus, where he too stood up and graduated to full-on dancing.

For the rest of the song - and quite a few more songs afterward - the two danced around the room together. Sometimes they'd just dance next to each other, sometimes one would take the other by the hand and swing him around a little, and there were at least a couple of times where one challenged the other to copy his moves. When a more sedate, quiet song snuck into this part of the playlist, the couple - nowhere near ready to stop dancing for the moment - compromised by slow-dancing. If the song was a particular favorite, one or both of them would even sing along.

As one song faded out, Papyrus realized something and listened closely. He couldn't hear the rain anymore! And indeed, when he walked to the window and peeked through the blinds, he still saw puddles on the pavement, but no more tell-tale raindrop ripples. The sky remained overcast for the most part, but from here, Papyrus noticed one or two patches of sky not covered by clouds.

"Wowie! I think the rain stopped!"

"Oh?" Mettaton joined his side and looked out the window. "Welly welly well, it looks like you're right!"

As he laughed again, though, he knew that his original plans would most likely remain out of the question today. Even if the nasty weather managed to avoid reaching the beach and rendering all of the sand inconveniently wet and clumpy, the traffic on the roads would be horrendous - especially since it wasn't even rush hour yet.

But at this point, Mettaton didn't even care, for he and Papyrus had managed to figure out a Plan B.

And more importantly, Mettaton thought as Papyrus led him away from the window to dance to the next song, they still had each other. And thanks to each other, they didn't need to wait for clear skies to feel the sunshine in their hearts and souls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry - they get to go to the beach for real in at least one later chapter.


	4. Carpettaton

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I celebrate my eleventh anniversary of fanfiction writing with the Bad Pun Olympics.

"Nyeh? Are we out of clean blankets?"

Mettaton looked up, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Not that I know of."

"Then why are you using that carpet as a blanket? Is it Opposite Day?"

Of all the things Papyrus could have come home to after helping Undyne and Alphys with their car, Mettaton lying on the couch wasn't too unusual. Mettaton lying on the couch with an area rug draped over himself, on the other hand? There just had to have been something going on.

"Oh, that." Mettaton gave a casual smile. "Well, beautiful, I've been thinking of incorporating some more surreal imagery into my next music video. Like perhaps a world where everything is backwards - instead of people riding flying carpets, carpets ride flying people, for example."

Papyrus blinked as he pondered the concept, before having a thought. "Oh! Does this mean people eat meat and spaghetti-balls, with sticks shaped like bread on the side?"

It took a second for Mettaton to get the joke, but once he did, he muttered "I never even thought of that" before his usual grin returned. "That could definitely happen in that world. And maybe instead of flashlights, they have flashdarks?"

At that, Papyrus wasn't sure whether to groan or giggle, but in the end, giggling won out.

Mettaton himself chuckled for a moment. "But seriously, darling, I saw this at the store and it looked too beautiful to pass up. And besides..."

He beckoned Papyrus over to him; when Papyrus walked over, Mettaton - with a strange smirk - leaned in close.

"Between you and me, I think this makes me look... _rug_gedly handsome."

And Papyrus knew what reaction _that_ pun deserved.

* * *

Many miles away, at the local science center, Sans - in the midst of watching his audience leave the planetarium - felt a vibration in his pocket. He took out his phone and saw a new text from Mettaton.

_That was probably the loudest I've heard him groan at a pun in quite some time._

Sans grinned; no wonder he'd felt his "bad pun sense" tingling. Almost immediately, he sent a couple of messages back.

_maybe the three of us should all hang out together more often, then_

_see who can be the most "humerus"_

Right after he sent the second one, a notification popped up; it was another new message, this time from Papyrus.

_SANS!!! DO YOU KNOW WHAT METTATON JUST SAID TO ME???_

With a snicker, Sans switched over to the chat with his brother and typed out his replies.

_hey, look at it this way_

_now you can call him mat-taton_

He could already hear Papyrus' next groan.

* * *

"Come on, gorgeous." Mettaton, not losing his grin, brought an arm around Papyrus' shoulders. "You're smiling, aren't you?"

Papyrus folded his arms. "I am and I hate it!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by a prompt from the Tumblr blog otpprompts:
> 
> [Person A of your OTP walks in, holding a small carpet over their body. “My dear,” they say to Person B, “Don’t you think I’m… ruggedly handsome?“ 
> 
> Bonus: Person B’s groan can be heard from miles away.]
> 
> https://otpprompts.tumblr.com/post/161318371904/person-a-of-your-otp-walks-in-holding-a-small
> 
> Also, the Flashdark is a reference to EarthBound Beginnings (the prequel to EarthBound), where there really was such an item.


	6. Brand-New Door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mettaton writes a love song with Papyrus in mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my attempt at writing a Papyton love song, slightly inspired by "Shining Star" from the lovely FallingStar universe by PurpleZombieTigress - except my song's more from Mettaton's POV, whereas "Shining Star" seemed to be from both his and Papyrus' points of view (they were said to have written it together, if I remember correctly).
> 
> Fun fact: I had "True Faith" by New Order stuck in my head while coming up with these lyrics, so if you know that song and you find yourself singing these lyrics to the tune of it, I don't blame you. (Whenever I write poems or song lyrics, I often find myself using one or more pre-existing songs as a guide, at least where rhythm is concerned. Is anyone else like that?)

Never thought I'd meet someone  
Who shines as bright as the morning sun  
But I know these feelings must be true  
Since I'm always smiling when I'm with you

A heart of gold and a twinkling eye  
If I'm the starlight, you're my sky  
I feel your warmth down in every bone  
And now, we'll never be alone

Beneath my armor and walls, deep inside my heart  
I feel so hopeful and strong, like a brand-new start  
You give me something my soul has been yearning for  
So take my hand, and we'll open a brand-new door

Life's a puzzle in many ways  
It trips you up, leaves you in a daze  
And even when you think you know  
It drives you down roads you don't expect to go

But with my darling by my side  
No longer will I have to hide  
Life may be as strange as ever  
But we'll solve all its tricks together

Beneath my armor and walls, deep inside my heart  
I feel so hopeful and strong, like a brand-new start  
You give me something my soul has been yearning for  
So take my hand, and we'll open a brand-new door

In freezing cold or in searing heat  
Your laughter always feels so sweet  
You're my north star, you're my sunflower  
Your love must be a superpower

A heart of gold and a twinkling eye  
If I'm the starlight, you're my sky  
I feel your warmth down in every bone  
And now, we'll never be alone

Beneath my armor and walls, deep inside my heart  
I feel so hopeful and strong, like a brand-new start  
You give me something my soul has been yearning for  
So take my hand, and we'll open a brand-new door

You give me something my soul has been yearning for  
So take my hand, and let's open that brand-new door

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up: chapter 5, when I post it, is going to be smut. (Every fifth chapter of this fic is going to be a steamy one.) I was originally going to post the first smut chapter before this one, but something sad happened in my family between chapter 4 and this one, and I felt like posting something naughty before anything else would be in bad taste given the circumstances.


	7. Class Act (Humans in College)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew Blook, a college student with big dreams, suddenly makes a new friend one day. Who ever said video games had no real value?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember when I said the next posted chapter would be smut? A slight change of plans because this idea was all like "Spiny! Write me!" I've adjusted the author's note in the last chapter accordingly (it previously said the next chapter - this one - would be smut; that's now been relegated to chapter 5 when I eventually finish it).

"...and even though I almost tripped, I still managed to beat my personal best!" The woman laughed and brushed her red hair out of her eyes (one real, one glass). "And... yeah, that's it."

The professor, an older woman with kind eyes, smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Diane."

As Diane returned to her seat, the rest of the class applauded, with some wondering if their turn would be next. Professor Victoria Ellison led this communications class with kind and thoughtful words, but she knew when to take off the kid gloves and encourage her students to push themselves. For this particular day in class, she had asked each of them to tell their classmates about something good that had recently happened to them. So far, only a few students had gone up to speak, since it was still relatively early in class. Aside from Diane's story about her running adventures, her best friend Russell had told a story about learning a new recipe and trying it out; his brother Sam loved the finished dish, as did Russell's chess club friend Roland. Another of Diane and Russell's friends, Douglas, talked about how he and some friends of his learned a new song to perform in their band (tentatively named the Royal Guard Dogs).

And now, the students who hadn't gone yet wondered who would go next; in Victoria's system, she would call on volunteers first, and if no one raised their hand, she would start picking students at random.

One of the students - a blonde, bespectacled woman - wrung her hands as she took deep breaths. Could she get through her story without utterly stumbling over her words and looking like a fool?

From the adjacent seat, her close friend - a raven-haired man - gently smiled at her. "You can do this, Allison. Remember, we're all equals here."

Allison returned the smile, despite herself. "Thanks."

With a clipboard in hand, Victoria looked at her class. "All right, who would like to go next?"

Before Allison's nervous feelings could even begin to really percolate, her friend raised his hand. "I will."

"Oh! Thank you, Matt!" Victoria's eyes sparkled as she wondered what his story would be.

Matt stood up and pushed in his chair before walking to the front of the class. Butterflies quivered in his stomach as he passed by his classmates; despite his nervousness not being nearly as bad as what Allison probably felt, he still silently reassured himself.

_Come on, Matt, darling, knock 'em dead! The more you do this, the easier it will be to make it as an actor!_

Upon making it up front, he mentally gave his speech a quick once-over before clearing his throat.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Matthew Blook, and in all my years of dealing with people, I've had quite a few of them try to convince me that video games have no real value in society and only bring out the worst in people." He smirked at the audience. "I'd love to see the looks on their faces if they found out what happened to me the other night."

A few of the students looked on, intrigued.

Matt went on to tell his classmates a story about how he had been playing his favorite online role-playing game the other night. That night, he'd made it his goal to finally power past this one difficult quest that had given him grief for the past week. The boss character in that mission did not want to go down easily, though, no matter what techniques Matt used against it. With this in mind, Matt got the idea to try teaming up with other players; while he didn't have much luck at first, he eventually met another player (a paladin, to be specific) who offered to help heal him. Not only that, but since the player in question had done the quest before on a different character, they could give him some tips on how to beat the boss.

"And because of their help, I was finally able to defeat the boss and finish the quest." Matt looked up and smiled. "This person named their character 'The Great Papyrus', and I must say, they certainly were great. Wherever they are, I hope they know how much they brightened my day."

When Matt stood in silence for a moment afterward, Victoria thanked him for his presentation and led the class in applauding for him. Matt grinned as he walked back to his seat, feeling pride in his heart that he'd managed to give another successful speech.

He didn't initially notice a certain other classmate looking at him with wide eyes.

* * *

The rest of the class passed by as normal, until Victoria dismissed everyone for the day. Matt was in the middle of putting his things away when one of the other students stopped nearby.

"Excuse me."

Matt looked up. "Yes?"

The classmate in question, whom Matt remembered as Russell Fontana, let out a slightly apprehensive laugh and rubbed the back of his own head. "Well!!! The thing is!!! About your story!!!" He took a deep breath. "I play that game too, and it reminded me of something that happened when I was playing it the other night!"

"Oh?"

Russell nodded before lowering his voice and leaning in slightly. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but... is your character named 'Mettaton'?"

Just the mention of that name was enough to make Matt's eyes widen. Despite having mentioned the name of the one who'd helped him, Matt hadn't once mentioned his own character's name. How could Russell have known, unless...?

"Yes, that's his name..." Matt looked into Russell's eyes. "You mean you were...?"

Another nod. "That's right - I was The Great Papyrus! And I still am; I think it's a cool name and I don't really want to change it."

Matt laughed, standing up and slinging his backpack over his shoulders. "Thank you so much! This is amazing!" In the depths of his mind, he already knew that he wanted to get to know Russell a little better.

Russell, himself laughing, seemed to pick up on this. "I have to go to chess club soon. Would you like to walk with me there?"

"Sure!"

And thus, the two headed out of the building and walked along the campus, cheerfully telling each other stories about their respective experiences with the game. All the while, Matt thought about the speech he had given earlier.

_Oh, yes... now I'd really love to see the looks on the naysayers' faces._

Eventually, they made it outside of the building where the chess club met; sitting on a bench outside was a blue-clad person munching on gummy worms.

Russell gave this person a wave. "Hi, Roland!" He turned back to Matt. "Well, I have to go now, but it was very nice to talk to you. I hope to see you again soon!"

As Matt bid him a fond farewell and watched him and Roland go through the doorway together, he stood there and thought for a moment. Outside of the occasional in-class activity, this had been the first time he and Russell had really spoken to each other.

And if there was one thing Matt knew, he definitely didn't want it to be the last time.

* * *

When Russell opened the front door later that afternoon, the first sight that greeted him was, unsurprisingly, his older brother Sam on the sofa.

"Hello, Sam!"

Sam looked up from his laptop and grinned. "Hey, Russ. I found this movie about alien invaders; it's so horrible it's hilarious. Wanna watch it with me later on?"

"I have to do some homework right now, but we can watch it when I'm done."

"Sure thing; after I finish this report, I can make popcorn and put the movie on." Sam chuckled. "I swear, they only put five cents in the special effects budget. And the actors still tried to take the movie seriously... well, most of them, anyway."

"Heh..." Although Russell was the kind of person who tried to find something good in nearly every movie he watched, there were some movies even he couldn't take seriously.

After climbing the stairs to his room, Russell opened his own laptop and promptly discovered that he had a few new emails. One was the chess club's schedule for the upcoming month, another was an announcement from one of his professors...

...and the third was a notification from the school's social media platform.

_Matthew Blook has sent you a friend request._

Russell's eyes sparkled. "Wowie..." Online games really could do cool things, despite what some people tried to say.

And somehow, Russell had the feeling that this could lead to something magical.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A brief guide to the names in this chapter, for those who are unsure:
> 
> Diane = Undyne  
Victoria = Toriel  
Russell = Papyrus  
Sam = Sans  
Roland = Rouxls Kaard  
Douglas = Doggo  
Allison = Alphys  
Matthew = Mettaton
> 
> I have quite a bit of lore for this human AU, but I'm still not sure yet if I'm going to write more of it into this fic. Maybe in a future fic, though...

**Author's Note:**

> https://nosleepuntilvacation.tumblr.com/


End file.
